Chelsey & Travis

What we did was ask someone at the concierge desk in the lobby to come help us carry the OOT bags downstairs. One of the employees came to our room with a luggage cart, loaded up the bags, and toted them downstairs with us. It was pouring rain outside and he even took extra care to cover the cart so that the bags didn't get wet. We had spread the word to have everyone meet us in the lobby bar for cocktails at a certain time. When we got there, we hand delivered each of the bags to our guests. This worked out very well because we were able to give each person their bag, watch them enjoy seeing the gifts inside, and personally thank them for coming.

I don't remember the exact breakdown, but I know that it includes credits to things like the spa (I want to say $25), wine upgrades, and a romantic dinner. The catch is that with most of them, there is a minimum spending limit. Also, when we went for our wedding, they were handing out the credits to everyone. I thought it was something that was included in special packages, but that isn't true. There were only one or two of our guests that used the resort credit.

tsgnatko -- great review...beautiful wedding! A quick note about the legal ceremony. We had a legal ceremony and it cost us around $600. Looking back, it was WELL WORTH the money. It was such a special occasion for us and for our guests. Also, I worried about not receiving documents in a timely fashion. We have been married nearly 4 months and we have not received the translated documents. However, we received the Mexican marriage liscense immediately following our wedding (they dropped it off in our room). I have had absolutely no need for the translated document. I have legally changed my last name and all of the other items that come along with marriage with no hassles. Hopefully this helps anyone who is on the fence

We got married on a Friday, and had to arrive on the prior Monday

SARCROOK: I should clarify...We didn't buy a package, so it could be included. But the cost had something to do with having to hire on additional staff so that they would still have enough staff at the front desk during your check-in.

I don't know how group check-in works. However, in the process of making plans for my wedding, the WC thought this is what we wanted. They wanted upwards of $600 to do a group check in. Just FYI...

This is really standard for all inclusives. It sucks because you are already paying, but in all reality, the guests could have all the food and drinks that they wanted. Also, because it's a wristband free resort, it's impossible for them to keep tabs on who has paid for a day pass and who hasn't.

I used this email address: spa1.drerc@dreamsresorts.com. If you think a contact name would help, Rosa Santana emailed me and said she was the spa concierge. I think that it was around $45 for an updo, but it depends on the hair length. My bridal updo was $55 and I have medium length hair. It was really reasonable, and they were great!

I purchased my tulle on Ebay here: http://stores.ebay.com/seasonal-decorator/_i.html?_fsub=19825670 I used this because it was cheap and the only true teal color I could find!! I bought the 18" size. And I waited to cut it until I got there so that I could see the exact size I needed (I was given a measurement by the WC, but had a hunch it was wrong -- I was right). One spool of it was enough to cover the chairs for all of our guests (30 or so). It was super lightweight and very easy to pack. Also, for those of you who might not know, they will put the tulle/ribbons/sashes on the chairs for you as long as it is pre-cut. They tie it in a bow and everything for free. Also for the chairs, you can get the covered whtie chairs or white garden chairs, which I think are much more "beachy".

JKHOWELL: The lobby bar is a great place for people to gather for drinks. If I were you, I'd skip the cocktail hour and tell everyone to gather in the lobby. As long as you have everything well planned and organized, and everyone knows what is going on, I think you would be fine doing it this way! And you'd save a good amount of money.

At our wedding, the only "extras" we paid for were to have a legal ceremony and for an arrangement. We chose to forgo drinks, plated meals, extra cake, etc. We figured that it was all inclusive so why pay extra! It worked out perfectly. Everyone grabbed drinks at the beach bar after the ceremony (they have champagne, so why pay extra for that too!). They also set aside a nice area for us in the World Cafe and we had our own waiters. The only thing we paid extra for this was tipping. And for the cake, it served all 40 of our guests, and if they wanted more, they helped themselves to the buffet. It worked out perfectly and I'm so glad that we didn't throw more money down the tube for it!!

Keys---We didn't have this issue, and neither did any of our guests. Maybe it is something new? We were married in November. I know you can request a new key with a signature, so if all else fails, I guess you could do that. Tipping---I agree with Lori, it did get rather annoying, so be prepared for this. This was one of the only things that rubbed me the wrong way about this resort. In my opinion, the service should be 100% all of the time because it is all inclusive. But you will find that you will only get awesome service if you tip. We experimented with this on several occasions, and sadly, money will get you the best service, drinks, food, etc. Type of Money---Either of those options will work. However, keep in mind that your bank/credit card company will charge a fee for using the card internationally. Also, make sure you notify them of your travel so that they don't close down your account for suspicious activity. And keep in mind that the law limits amount of US cash per transaction to $100.

I can't speak to choosing one over the other, but I can explain the difference. They are essentially the same restuarant and share a common kitchen (I think). However, the set-up of Seaside Grill is a little nicer than Oceana. Oceana fairly open and simple, whereas Seaside Grill is more enclosed and in my opinion, a little fancier. See pictures below, first of Seaside Grill and secondly of Oceana.

I have posted some info about this (along with my review) back on page 480 of this thread. There is one post with my review, and one with info about the legal ceremony. Let me know if you can't find it.

I don't know the exact temperature, but it was pretty chilly for us even in jeans and a t-shirt. I would suggest bringing a jacket or two. And it also depends on how much you want to do outside. We liked eating at Seaside Grille outside and watching the shows, so when we were out for a long time, it felt cool. At Seaside, they even gave us blankets to use!